Method and apparatus for shipping metal



Jan. 28, 1930. R. T. ROMINE I 1,745,057

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHIPPING METAL Filed Oct. 20, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 1 H? Attorneys Jan. 28, 1930. ROMINE 1,745,057

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHIPPING METAL Filed ON. 20, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 2 a 4 2' f 9) Z 0 A) 4 v l v [72 van zqr:

J 1930. R. T. ROMINE 1,745,057

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHIPPING METAL Filed Oct. 20, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 3 WWI WWWL

Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES ROBERT ROMINE, OF MOUNT CLEMENS,MICHIGAN I METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHIPPING METAL Application filedOctober 20, 1928. Serial No. 313,846.

This invention relates to the loading and shipping or transporting ofmaterial, such as sheet, strip or bar metal on railway cars or othercarriers. I

An object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus forloading or packing the metal, such as sheet, strip or bar steel, on thefloor of a freight car or carrier for transportation in relatively heavyunits and in such manner as to prevent or resist such relative shifting.movement of the constituent parts of the packs or bundles as wouldresult in damage to the freight car, damage to the material, and renderdifficult and expensive the removal or unloading of the metal atdestination. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and efficientmethod, as Well as an apparatus for carrying out the method, forshipping sheet, strip or bar metal in packs whereby resistance to therelative sliding or shifting movement of the parts of the pack duringtransit is obtained through the medium of friction material causing abinding or frictional action on the parts within the pack, or-within thecross sectional area thereof.

In accordance with the present invention the sheet, strip or bar metal,which is shipped in large quantities from steel or rolling mills toautomobile manufacturers and others, is transported on the floor of afreight car or carrier in heavy packs or bundles, such as packs weighingfrom five to ten tons, and

' the constituent parts of the pack, in part or in whole, are heldtogether by the application of friction interiorly of the pack or withinthe cross sectional area thereof. This may be done by interposingrelatively softer friction material between the adjacent layers or edgesof the sheets, strips or bars-such as relatively soft wood strips. Themetal parts of the pack are maintained, preferably by substantialpressure, against this friction material.

This pressure may be obtained through the weight of the metal, throughthe medium of the binding or bracing elements, or both. I

In the case of sheet or strip metal, where the edges of the sheets areusuallyrelatively mon medium for frictionalresistance while sharp,especially where the sheets, or strips are sheared at the mill, woodstrips may be advantageously employed and a sufficient amount ofpressure of the edges of the metal against this material can be made toresult in embedding the edges therein and in resisting relative shiftingmovement of the sheets or strips during transit. V Moreover, theinvention enables a pack to be made up of several smaller units orstacks, and at the same time trans orted effectually by resistingrelative shifting of the units within the bundle or pack as a whole. Forinstance, a bundle may be made up of -metal sheets of several differentwidths, or '65 simply of narrow sheets or strips arranged in individualpiles according to width within the bundle as a whole. These sheetsarepreferably arranged with their inner edges abutting or in opposedrelation, with friction 7o material interposed therebetween, so thatfrictional resistance can thus be applied to the sheet or strip edgesinteriorly of the bundle, or within the cross sectional area thereof.

Furthermore, the invention provides for the shipment of unit packs madeup of a plurality of piles or sections superimposed one upon the other,and in which any pile or section can be made up of stacks of sheetsnarrower than the width of the pack as a whole. In this instance theinvention provides for the maintaining of the sections or layerstogether through preferably a comalso maintaining the individual stacksof any section together through frictional resistance Within the crosssectional'area of the bundle as a whole.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompany ing drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of a pack of strip or barmetal loaded on the car 1 floor for shipment, this figure showing in aas much as twenty miles per hour.

fragmentary manner four different types of strip or bar metal.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view for the purpose of illustrating theembedding action of strip steel in the wood strips.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation illustrating a pack or bundle made up ofsheets or strips of different widths. I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the bound packsmay be transported on a freight car floor.

Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sections showing successive stepsin the loading of a pack of sheet or strip metal on the car floor inaccordance with another form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a pack or bundle loaded on the floor of acarrier for transportation and illustrating a further form of theinvention. 1

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section of the construction shown inFig. 7.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Alsoit is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and itis not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the severalclaims hereto ap pended as considered in view of the. prior art and therequirements thereof.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application,Serial No. 218,791, filed September 10,1927.

The handling of sheet strip and bar metal, such as steel, and theshipment of this material in freight cars or carriers have in the pastbeen accomplished at great expense, not only to the steel mills andconsumers, such as automobile companies, but also to the railroads. Notonly has the labor expense in loading or unloading the cars been verygreat, on account of manual handling of the metal, but the time requiredto load and unload the cars has resulted in tying up cars on therailroad sidings, causing congestion and frequently impeding production.One of the serious disadvantages to previous methods employed intransporting this metal has been on account of the enormous damage tofreight cars as well as damage to the material due to the shifting ofthe metal in transit, particularly in the case of sheet steel. Freightcars are subjected in transit to shocks, blows and collisions,frequently resulting in impacts at Where the sheet, strip or bar metalis loaded on the ear floor in accordance with previous practice, violentdisplacement of the bars of sheets or steel strips frequently resultedwhen the car received a shock or blow, and the bars were often drivenagainst the ends or the side walls of the car with great force. Thisresulted in considerable damage to the cars, as well as to the metal,even in ramming holes through the end walls of the car. The tendency ofsheet, strip and bar steel to shift is, of course, aided by the factthat the surfaces are usually provided with on oily, rust preventativecoating, causing the metal to slide very readily.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 in which thepresent invention is applied in connection with the loading and shipmentof bar and strip metal, preferably the bars or strips S and S are piledin layers on a support preparatory to loading in the car. As eachsuccessive layer is completed, friction material which may be in theform of strips 100 of relatively softer material, such for example assoft Wood, fibre board, etc., is laid upon the layer at any desiredpoints extending transversely of the bars or strips so as to bepositioned between the adjacent layers (see Fig. 1). After the desirednumber of layers of bars or strips with the interposed friction materialhave been placed upon the support until a pile or pack of desired sizehas been formed, the pack is in readiness to be bound together into aunit.

In Figs. 1, 3 and 4: I have illustrated the pack held together by meansof binders E, which in this instance are constructed in accordance withmy Patent No. 1,650,540, patented November 22, 1927. This binder ingeneral is in the form of a rigid yoke or frame encircling the pack, andcomprises four angular frame members E E E and E The adJacent ends ofeach pair of frame members are overlapped and adjustably connectedtogether lliy means of bolts and nuts 10. The binder carries a series ofscrew pressure devices indicated in general at 11. Interposed betweenthe pressure devices carried by each binder frame and the pack shown inFig. 1 are vertical wood members 12 at each side of the pack and atransverse horizontal wood member 13 at the top of the pack. Thepressure devices 11 are tightened so as to exert through the medium ofthe wood members considerable inward pressure against the metal partsforming the pack thereby effectually holding the same together byfrictional pressure in a single mass or unit. Considerable pressure maybe exerted by the pressure devices 11, and this pressure es ecially atthe top of the pack in a downward direction against the wood member 13will result in forcing the bars or strips into binding or frictionalengagement with the frictional ma terial 100. It will also be understoodthat the weight of the bars or strips themselves is sufficient to exerta substantial downward pressure, this pressure by the weight of themetal itself will result in a substantial gripping action between themetal and the frictional material thereby increasing the. frictionalresistance internally of the pile or pack.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3.I have shown the invention asapplied in connection with packs of sheet metal, or relatively widestrip metal, wherein the sheets or strips are of different sizes and arepositioned flatwise. The pack is. bound together by means of bind ers Eas above described. In this instance the pack may be supported on thecar floor through the medium of transverse wood members or riding blocks14. A pair of structural steel members preferably in the form of anglebars 15 having upon their outer surfaces spurs or projections may beemployed for embracing the bottom cornersof the pack, the sheets in thisinstance being piled or stacked flatwise. The wider sheets 0 are firstplaced upon the angles 15 after which one group of narrower sheets A asdesired may be stacked fiatwise upon the top of the sheets C. A seriesof wood strips or bars 16 are placed against the inner edges of thegroup or stack of sheets A and thereupon another group or-stack ofnarrower sheets B may be placed upon the top of the pack C with theirinner edges abutting against the friction material 16. The requisitenumber of sheets forming the groups or sections A and B are stackedfiatwise one above another until a pack of the desired size has beenformed. Thereupon the pack is bound together, such as by means ofthebinders E carrying pressure devices 11. 'Interposed between thesepressure devices and the outer edges of the sheets at one side thereofis a friction Wood strip 17. In this instance the pressure devices atthe opposite side of'the binder are omitted, and the binder itself isdrawn into engagement with a wood strip 18 when the pressure devices atthe opposite side are tightthe wood or frictional material.

ened. In this manner the wood members 17 and 18 will be forced underpressure against the edges of the sheets in the stacks A, B and C.Furthermore the inward pressure exerted by the binder against the stacksor layers A and B will result in forcing the inner edges of the sheetsinto frictional engagement with the material 16, resulting in anembedding action of the edges of the sheets in In the construction shownin Fi s. 1 to 4. inclusive the acks of sheet, strip or ar metal aresupported for transportation on the floor of the freight car or carrierthrough the medium of wood members 14, which in this instance arepositioned transversely of the pack and are unsecured to the car floorto permit shiftable movement thereof. These wood members or ridingblocks aresecured together by means of longitudinal members 19 which aresecured thereto, or they may beheld together by means of angles 15 shownin Fig. 3. The foregoing constructions are more fully described in myabove mentioned applications.

The packs during shipment are held in position on the car floor againstlateral shifting movement with respect to each other and to the sidewalls, and are also guided in their movement longitudinally of the carby means of longitudinal guide members 20 which are nailed or secured tothe car floor. These guides have the important functions,

(1) Of guiding the packs in a predetermined path longitudinally of thecar during .the restricted floating movement of the packs back and forthon or relatively to the car floor as a result of shocks and blows towhich the car is subjected in transit; and A (2) Of maintaining thepacks in predeter:

mined spaced relation with respect to the side walls of the car, therebypreventing damage to the car walls While retaining suitable aisle spacesat opposite sides of the packs to permit removal of the packs as unitsat destination, such as by means of a portable crane or stack lifter asillustrated for instance in my above mentioned Patent No. 1,650,540.This stack lifter has an arched frame the legs of which aremovable intoposition in the aisle spaces, wheneither loading or unloading the packs,to straddle oppositesides of each pack, lifting mechanism being providedfor lifting or lowering the pack with respect to the car floor. Theseguides therefore not only retain these aisle spaces but inperformingthis function also prevent contact of the packs with the sidewalls of the car causing damage thereto during transit.

I In Figs. 5 and 6 I have'illustrated the invention as applied to theloading and shipment of metal sheets or wider strip metal in which thepacks are bound together by means lower stack D, separated by means oftransversely extending wood strips 21, or other friction material,engaging the opposed inner u edges of the sheets. Thissectional pack isin the present instance bound transversely by means of severallongitudinally spaced band or strap steel binders 22, and interposedbetween these binders and the pack are wood bars or strips 23 preferablyat all four sides of the pack. The bandbinders or strap'22 are ofsuitable gauge steel several-inchesin"- width, and the ends are drawntogether and clamped at 24 by suitable mechanism. The

bands may be nailed to the wood bars 23 as illustrated in Figs. and 6.The pack is thus preferably first formed with the sides at right anglesto one another, or rectangular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5, andafter being thus formed may then be carried as a unit in a freight carfor deposit on the floor for transportation, as by means of a powerdriven industrial truck.

The pack, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is supported on the car floorthrough the medium of pallet members such as wood bars or riding members25 extending longitudinally of the car floor F. These are connectedtogether transversely by a plurality of wood members 26 which aredisposed edgewise with the lower straight edge 26 of each bar preferablyset into transverse notches 90 in the members and nailed thereto. Theupper edges of the members 26 are curved or arched at 26 These membersare spaced longitudinally,

preferably out of a vertical alinement with 25 the binders 22, so thatwhen the pack is lowered in the car on the supporting members 26 and 25(as shown in Fig. 5) the lower edges of the sheets will rest upon thearched edges 26 with the binder at one side thereof as 30 shown in Fig.6. This will result in bowing the stacks D and D causing them to conformto the curvature or arch of the members 26,

thereby increasing the cross sectional area of the entire pack,increasing the distance 'around the pack, and tightening the bandbinders or strips 22 under considerable tension.

Thus, the foregoing method enables the band or strap binders 22 to betightened about the pack by increasing the distance around the pack. Itprovides frictional resistance against the lower edges of the sheets ofthe stack D through the wood members 26; frictional resistance againstthe upper edges of the sheets of pack D and the lower edges of thesheets of pack D through wood members 21; and frictional resistanceagainst the upper ed es of the sheets of stack D through the me ium oftop transverse wood strips 23 which are forced downwardly through thetightening of the binder. The weight of the stack D tends to embed theopposed edges of both stacks D and D in the friction material 21,interiorly of the pack. This is facilitated by the fact that the metalsheets or strips vary in width thereby presenting a ragged face alongthe edges of the sheets. The weight of the pack also causes the loweredges of the sheet of stack D to cut into or embed in the upper edges ofthe wood members 26, which action will result whenever the sheets startto slide as a result of a shock to the car thereby resisting suchmovement.

It Wlll be seen from the foregoing therefore that the sections D and Dof the pack will be held together by internal friction through themedium of the friction strips 21 and will also be held to the supportingmembers 26 by frictional engagement of the lower edges of the sheetstherewith. The stacks together with the pallet members 25 and 26 willthere'- fore shift back and forth on the car floor as a result of shocksand blows to which the car is subjected in transit. These movements areguided longitudinally by means of the guides 20 secured to the car floorand cooperating with the members 25.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have illustrated the invention as applied to theloading and shipping of metal sheets or wider strip metal in which wireis employed in binding the pack, and in which the sheets or strips maybe positioned flatwise.

As in the case of the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the pack as awhole is made up of a plurality of sections or stacks superimposed oneupon the other and separated by means of transverse strips, preferablyof wood. These sections or groups may be of different heights orthicknesses and one of the advantages of forming the pack this way is toenable different heats at the steel mill to be separated, and also inenabling the pack to be made up of sheets of different sizes. In theexample shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the pack is made up of three superimposedsections or piles. The lower section is formed for instance in two partsor stacks L and L which comprise narrower sheets or strips. Interposedbetween the stacks L and L are a series of longitudinally spacedrelatively thin wood strips 27. Superimposed upon the lower section ofthe pack is a section or stack K, which is separated from the stacks Land L by means of a series of transverse woodstrips 28 forming a space33. The stack K is illustrated by way of example as composed of sheetsof the full width of the pack, and superimposed thereupon is anothersection com-. prising stacks M and M of different width metal sheets orstrips. The stacks M and M are separated from each other by means of aseries of vertical wood strips 29 spaced longitudinally of the pack. Thestacks M and M are also vertically spaced from the stack K by means of aseries of transverse wood strips or bars 30 forming a space 34.

' The pack, such as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is preferably formed andbound as a shipping unitv at the steel mill preparatory to being loadedin the car for transportation. The pack may be formed on a suitableloading buck or platform and carried directly into the car as by meansof a power driven industrial truck. As illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 thepack is bound together or braced by means of binding units each includina pair of upright wood members 36 and 3 positioned at opposite sides ofthe pack. These members are drawn into engagement with the op elementcomprising in the present instance a plurality of Wires such as three ofrequired gauge and tensile strength. The members 36 a and 37 projectabove and below the pack, and

their lower ends are connected by means of a wire binding element 38which may be tightened at its ends either by twisting or in any othermanner by a suitable tightening device. A similar wire binding element39 extends through the space 33, a wire binding element 40 extendsthrough the space 34, and

a wire binding element 41 extends transversely above the pack. All ofthese binding elements extend around the wood members 36 and 37, and aretightened under sufficient tension to force the wood members 36 and 37under considerable pressure against the outer edges of the sheets. Bydrawing the vertical wood members 36 and 37 inwardly against the packnot only at the ends thereof but at intermediate points, verysubstantial pressure may be obtained without breaking or bowing thewood, and since the sheets or strips have plus or minus variations inwidth the irregular edges thereof may be embedded in the woodmembers 36and 37 so that considerable frictional resistance is obtained in thismanner.

Any number of these binding units may be employed on a pack dependingupon the length or size of the pack, two being shown in the presentinstance in Fig. 7, adjacent opposite ends of the pack. Interposedbetween each wire binding element and the wood members 36 and 37 aresheet metal angles 42 which act as bearing pieces between the wire andwood uprights to prevent the wire cutting through the wood. These angleplates 42 may be grooved transversely to receive the wire strands.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the inward pressure of the woodmembers 36 and 37 will force the sheets M and M into em beddingengagement with the friction material 29, andwill also force the sheetsL and L into embedding engagement with the friction material 27. Fromthis it will be seen that the stacks M and M as well as the stacks L andL will be held together by frictional pack or bundle through the mediumof the wood strips 27 and 29.

The pack, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, when loaded in the freight car issupported upon longitudinal riding or skhf members 31, three being shownin the present example, and these are preferably connected together bymeans of a series of transverse wood strips 32 forming spaces 35 forreceiving the lower Wire binding element 38. The pack is'guided in itsshifting movement longitudinally of the car by meansof guides 20 whichare preferably nailed to the car floor and which are in position toengage the lower ends of the upright members 36 and 37, therebymaintaining the pack in proper position during its floating movementback and forth on the car floor and maintaining aisle spaces at oppositesides of the pack so that it can be removed at destination in the mannerreferred to above.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a method andapparatus whereby sheet, strip and bar metal maybe transported infreight cars or carriers while minimizing the tendency of the metalparts to shift or break loose from the bundles or packs. The internalfriction which is applied to the metal parts 'is preferably obtainedthrough the medium of relatively softer material than the metal. Onaccount of the fact that some variations usually occur not only in thewidth of the sheets, but also in the size of the bar or strip stock,particularly Where the mills are allowed a slight percentage ofvariations, the binding action between the friction material and themetal is increased by virtue of this fact. The slight irregular surfacesof the metal, at the edges or corners thereof, will cause the frictionmaterial to be embedded therein. This effectsa' clamping or bindingaction between the friction ma terial and the metal, thereby resistingrelasubstantial distance within the pack since the frictional resistanceinternally of the pack,

as well as preferably externally also, between the metal and thefrictional material will be greater than the frictional resistancebetween the supporting members and the car floor.

I claim:

1. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy unit packs on a freight car floor, which consists inapplying friction internally of the pack through the medium ofrelatively softer material than the metal, said material beinginterposed between layers of the metal parts, and binding the packtogether as a unit.;

2. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metalin-relatively heavy unit packs on a freight car floor, which consists inapplying'friction internally of the pack through the medium ofrelatively softer materialthan the metal, said material being interposedbetween layers of the metal parts, and binding the pack together toforce the metal and said material together under pressure.

3. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy unit packs on a freight car floor, which consists insupporting the pack on wood members unsecured to the car floor,frictionally resisting relative movement of the metal parts through themedium of relatively softer material interposed between layers of themetal, and maintaining the pack and said wood members together as a unitfree to shift on the car floor.

a. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy unit packs on a freight car floor, which consists insupporting the pack on wood members unsecured to the car floor,frictionally resisting relative movement of the metal parts through themedium of relatively softer material interposed between layers of themetal, and guiding the pack and members in a predetermined pathlongitudinally of the car.

5. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy packs on a freight carfloor, which consists insupporting the pack on riding members on the car floor, applyin internalfriction to the pack through the medium of relatively softer materialthan the metal, and permitting the pack and said ridin members to shiftduring transit on the car oor by applying greater internal friction tothe pack than the friction of said members on the car floor.

6. The hereindescribedmethod of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy packs on a freight car floor, which consists insupporting the pack on the car floor through the medium of membersinterposed between the pack and the floor, applying internal friction tothe pack through the medium'of softer material than the metal, andpermitting the pack to move with its su porting members on the car flooras a unit y providing greater frictional resistance between the metalparts against relative movement than the frictional Eesistance betweensaid members and the car oor.

7. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar 'or strip metal inrelatively heavy acks on a freight car floor, which consists insupporting the pack on the car floor through the medium of membersinterposed between the pack and the floor, applying internal friction tothe pack through the medium of softer material than the metal,permitting the pack to move with its supporting members on the car flooras a unit by providing greater frictional resistance between the metalparts against relative movement than the frictional resistance betweensaid members and the car floor, and guiding said pack and members in apredetermined path longitudinally of the car.

8. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy packs on a freight car floor, which consists inmaintaining the pack of metal together as a unit on the car floor withrelatively softer material interposed between adjacent metal parts, andapplying inward pressure on the pack-to bind the metal and said materialtogether to provide frictional resistance against relative movement ofthe metal parts during transit.

9. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal inrelatively heavy packs on a freight car floor, which consists inmaintaining the pack of metal together as a unit on the car floor withrelatively softer material interposed between adjacent metal parts, andapplying downward pressure to bind the metal and said material togetherto provide frictional resistance a ainst relative movement of the metalparts uring transit.

'10. The hereindescribed method of shippingv sheet, bar or strip metalin relatively heavy packs on a freight car floor, which consists inmaintaining the pack of metal together as a unit on the car fioor withrelatively softer material interposed between adjacent netal parts, andapplying inward pressure stituent parts thereof maintained againstrelative displacement through internal friction between the metal andsaid material.

12. The hereindescribed method of shipping bound packs or units ofsheet, strip or bar metal upon the floor of a carrier, which consists informing a pack of the metal, interposing relatively soft frictionmaterial between layers or groups of the metal, binding the pack,supporting it on members inter posed between the pack and the car floor,and permitting the pack and said members to float as a unit on the carfloor during shipment.

13. The hereindescribed method of forming a pack of metal, such assheet, strip or bar metal, which consists in piling the metal upon asupport, placing friction material between constituent strips or bars,placing binders about the pack, and forcing the metal parts and saidmaterial together under pressure. a

14. In a pack of sheet, bar or strip metal prepared for shipment on thefloor of a car, the combination of means for binding the metal togetherinto a unit, and means includ ing relatively softer material than themetal interposed between adjacent layers or groups of sheets, bars orstrips for providing frictional resistance against relative displacementofv the metal parts during transit.

15. The hereindescribed method of shipping sheet, bar or strip metal ona fright car floor, which consists in forming apack and placing it onthe car floor and frictionally resisting relative displacement of theconstituent .parts of the pack through the medium of relatively softermaterial interposed theremetal, which comprises transporting on thefloor of a carrier a pack made up of smaller units separated byrelatively softer material, such as wood, engaging edges of the sheetsor strips, and maintaining said material in frictional'engagement withsaid edges to resist relative shifting of the parts, during transit.

18. The method of shipping sheet or strip metal, which comprisestransporting on the floor of a car or carrier, a pack made. up ofsmaller units having the inner edges of the sheets or strips in opposedrelation, and maintaining friction material in engagement with saidinner edges and also in engagement with outer edges of the sheets orstrips to resist relative movement thereof during transit.

19. The method of shipping sheet or strip metal, which comprisestransportin on the car or carrier floor a pack made up 0 smaller unitshaving the inner edges of the sheets or strips in opposed relation,interposing fric-v tion material between said opposed edges, and bindingthe pack to force said edges into fri'ctional engagement with saidmaterial.

20. The method of shipping sheet or strip metal, which comprisestransporting on the car or carrier floor a pack made up of smaller unitshaving the inner edges of the sheets or strips in opposed relation,interposing fric tion material between said opposed edges, and bindingwood members against the outer edges of the sheets or strips. I I 1 2 1.The method of shipping metal, such as sheet or strip metal, on a carrierfloor which comprises forming into a pack a plurality of stacks of themetal, and frictionally resisting 1 relative movement of the constituentparts by friction material interposed between edges of the sheets orstrips of the stacks within the.

cross sectional area of the pack.

during transit.

22. The method of shipping metal, such as sheet or strip metal, on acarrier floor, which comprises forming into a single pack a pluralityofstacks of the metal with friction material interposed between adjacentedges of the stacks within the pack,and binding the pack together.

23. The method of shipping metal, such as sheet or strip metal, on acarrier floor, which comprises forming into a single pack a plurality ofstacks of the metal With friction material interposed between adjacentedges. of the metal within the pack, and maintainlng said edges of themetal parts in frictional engagement with said material to resist relative movement thereof during transit.

24. The method of shipping metal, such as sheet or strip metal, on acarrier floor, which comprises forming into a single pack a plurality ofstacks of the metal with friction material interposed between adjacentedges of the metal parts within the pack, and embedding said'edges inthe material to resist relative movement of the parts during transit.

25. An apparatus for shipping sheet or strip metal on the floor of afreight car or carrier in a pack made up of smaller units, comprisingrelatively softer material than the sheets or strips interposed betweensaid units and engaging edges of the sheets or strips, and means formaintaining said material in frictional engagement with said edges toresist relative shifting of the sheets or strips during transit.

26. An apparatus for shipping sheet or strip metal on the floor of afreight car or carrier in a paek made up of smallerv units having theinner edges of the sheets or strips of the units in opposed relationwithin the cross sectional area of the pack, comprising relativelysofter material than the metal in engagement with said inner edges andalso in engagement'with outer edges of the sheets or strips, and bindingmeans for maintaining said material in binding or frictional engagementwith said outer and inner edges to re sist relative shifting of thesheets or strips v 27. An apparatus for shipping sheet or strip metal onthe floor. of a freight car or carrier in a pack made up of sectionshaving inner edges of the sections in opposed relation, comprising woodstrips interposed between said inner edges of the sections, wood membersengaging outer edges ofthe sections, and means for forcing said woodmembers into frictional engagement with said outer edges and also forforcing the inner edges into frictional engagement with said strips. a a

28. An apparatus for shipping sheet or strip metal on the floor of afreight car or carrier in a pack made up of smaller sections,

comprising supporting members for the pack free to shift on the carfloor, friction material interposed between said sections and engagingedges of the sheets or strips, and means for maintaining said materialin frictional engagement with said edges to resist relative shifting ofthe sheets or strips during transit While permitting the pack and saidsupporting members to shift on the car floor.

29. The method of shipping on the floor of a carrier metal, such assheet or strip 10 metal, in a pack made up of individual sections, whichconsists in supporting the pack on the car floor to permit the pack toshift longitudinally relatively to the car floor, applying friction toedges of the sheets of the sections Within the cross sectional area ofthe pack, and maintaining the sections together to form a single pack.

80. The method of shipping on the floor of a carrier metal, such assheet or strip metal, 29 in a pack made up of individual sections, whichconsists in supporting the pack on the car floor to permit the pack toshift longitudinally relatively to the car floor, guiding the pack topredetermine its longitudinal movement, applying friction to the edgesof the sheets of the sections Within the cross sec tional area of thepack, and maintaining the sections together to form a single pack.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

as ROBERT T. RUMINE.

